Video Games (& Benefits) for Seniors

Summary: One might not associate gaming, or video games with seniors or our elderly population, but seniors are becoming an ever-increasing demographic of our gaming population. Assisted Living Facilities and Residential Care Homes are learning that games like Wii Bowling are a great way to encourage interaction between residents, and to help keep minds active and engaged – especially for those with memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s Regina talks about how the benefits of video games for seniors and offers suggestions on the types of games you might consider getting for the ‘elder’ in your life (infographic included on this page)!

Author: Regina Woodard exclusively for Assisted Living Directory

Regina is a contributor for Assisted Living Directory

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but that certainly wont matter to retail stores, who have started the holiday shopping for Christmas much earlier than previous years. With Thanksgiving Thursday and Black Friday being combined to get shoppers to get in their shopping before December 25th , the thought of what to get those folks on your list may be daunting.

This is especially true as more technology has come out and will come out before the holiday season as mobile continues to grow, the abundance of Seniors and Video Gamessmartphones and tablets has also grown, with more companies

jumping in the race. This is also the time when the video game manufacturers and console makers are trying to entice parents to buy their kids the next best console or game.

But while you may be checking out video games for Junior, you may not even realize that you can also pick up a game for your parents or grandparents.

Youre probably asking, “What? Video games are for kids!”

And youd be wrong

Seniors & Video Games

As mentioned, video games are often seen as mindless entertainment at best, a portal to violent misdeeds and debauchery at most; as comics and television was once seen as the gateway to hell when watched by children, so too has the world of the video gamer been thought to be less than educational or rewarding.

But as recent studies have shown, those of the video game generation who grew up when computers were just starting to be the mainstream habit they are now, there have been documented reports not only on the rewards of playing video games, but also the age of the average gamer. It should come as no surprise that most gamers are between the ages of 18 and 49, at 41%; what is surprising however is that 26% of people playing games are over the age of fifty.

Thatright your parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents are playing video games.

Type of Games

So what kind of games are your parents or grandparents playing?

Within the 26% of the senior playing age, 52% are playing games that test their logic and memory skills. Thatright video games are educational. Again, reports have documented that many video game players have excellent hand/eye coordination, thanks to the ability of watching the screen and maneuvering a controller or keyboard.

For the older population, video games offer more than just endless joy of being able to best an opponent; many popular board and card games are now offered online in a digital form and these games not only help to keep a senior occupied, but when played with others, it connects them to the outside world. This is extremely helpful for those who may be in an assisted living facility, with sporadic contact with family and friends.

This isnt to say that video games only provide for logic and brain games; they can also be a workout.

Thanks to the introduction of the Nintendo Wii, seniors were able to not only play games designed for a more casual audience, but actually be involved in them physically. Many retirement communities and assisted living homes implemented Wii systems within their environments in order to encourage activity among their residents, thanks to games like Wii Sports; these activities were also helpful in encouraging social activity amongst residents, as well as seniors and their families, thanks to the consolefour player mode which allowed for either team playing or four player head to head games.

The Nintendo Wii introduced video games to a new wave of gamers those who like to play, but dont do it all the time. Casual gamers who just like to play on occasion or who play online, will normally drift to sites like Facebook for their gaming pleasure or for those who enjoy tablets and smartphones, the many games that are available in the app stores of each manufacturer.

These games can be anything from the popular Farmville to that of Plants vs. Zombies and even just a quick game of chess or mahjong.

So What Should You Get?

Obviously, seniors are playing video games and are enjoying them; perhaps your parent or grandparent enjoys games as much as you do. So what should you look for in the event theyd like a video game for Christmas?

First things first get them the game they want to play, not the one you want to play. Yes, perhaps your dad who was a long time D&D player might enjoy a World of Warcraft expansion pack, but realistically think about the amount of hours and even the amount of enjoyment he would get from it. Currently, the most popular sites that seniors use for their gaming habits include

Pogo Game House Big Fish

Games Many of the games listed on these sites are free to play, as long as the player signs up with the website. However, many of these games may also have a downloadable desktop component or a downloadable app; Plants vs. Zombies, for instance, can be played on both a computer and a mobile device. If you know that your grandmother likes the game, why not purchase it for use on her computer or tablet?

Even with the influx of mobile devices, there is still a wide variety of pc games that a senior might enjoy; just make sure that they have a computer system that will be able to run it.

And while technology continues to grow, dont think that physical board games and card games have gone by the way side; around the holidays, many hobby and game stores will pop up, selling unique gifts, such as board games. These are great custom items that can mean something special if your mom loves a good mystery, why not get her a murder mystery game in which the whole family can participate?

Games both video and physical can be great ways of staying active, both in body, mind, and spirit, as well as being a great way to spend time with folks that you love. Just remember this Thanksgiving, it should be more about spending time with your senior than shopping for them.